High Desert Cowboy- How far is it up north?

[Bruce]

Seems the ram has an opinion of your friend. I wonder how that adversarial relationship developed.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

So Saturday we did a little mixing around. Someone called on Shaun and they are coming to get him today, so I swapped rams around with GusGus in with the ewes and Shaun separated into the little round pen. Heart and Dotty immediately took a liking to GusGus and have been hanging with him ever since. Bellwether has been her usually uppity self and stays far away in the corner until feeding time. I don’t care if she has triplets she has beyond annoyed me. I plan to replace her this year if all goes according to plan. Maybe get 2 more ewes to replace her, good herd bound ewes who have a brain and don’t just flop down on the ground. That’s her new trick when I try to work Bella on the sheep, she just flops on the ground like she’s dead and will not get up. It’s great for shearing, not so much for anything else.
Here’s little GusGus in his new spot.

He seems pretty content. After seeing that ornery Suffolk my friend has I laugh at how little he still is. He’ll be a year in April, he’s got time to grow though I know he’ll never get as big as that other buck. But that’s not his purpose, he’s the start of my selling replacement ewes program, not a commercial terminal sire. It’s a little long game as he has no influence over this years lamb crop and I’ll only have one or two polypay ewes for next year if everything goes according to plan, but the long game has to start sometime.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

So the guy never came for Shaun, so he got to stay until yesterday. Now he’s off to his next adventure of servicing a small herd of black belly crosses. GusGus is more than happy with the girls, and it’s still really warm here. We’re kinda boring around here lately but oh well.

 

[Baymule]

Is GusGus a Polypay and are you switching to Polypay sheep?

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

GusGus is a Polypay. Ideally I will be able to pick up a ewe or two this summer.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

Snow! Woke up this morning to a couple inches of snow and it’s still coming down. I’m not going to complain, more water is a good thing. I prefer not to go back to paying drought prices, it was a little rough for a while when I was paying double what I pay today for lesser quality hay. But I also had a different hay guy then. One day, when the stars align and excess money starts flowing I hope to have some good pasture. And a hay field. And nicer facilities. And the list goes on, as I’m sure it does for everyone. For now, I’m just happy I’ve got something, it’s better than nothing

 

[Baymule]

One day, when the stars align and excess money starts flowing I hope to have some good pasture. And a hay field. And nicer facilities. And the list goes on, as I’m sure it does for everyone. For now, I’m just happy I’ve got something, it’s better than nothing

Nothing like being grateful for what you have. And nothing wrong with wanting to improve what you have.

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

Last year winter came late in the year, and seemed to come right when my first lambs were hitting the ground. The triplets were born at this time last year and it snowed several inches and the temperature dropped. They spent the next couple weeks in my homemade lambing jug in the garage. This year I decided to breed for later lambing and I am so glad I did. It snowed yesterday and the temperature this morning is -13. Instead of being worried about possible lambs freezing I got to lay in my warm bed thinking about lambs in April. I’m glad I learned my lesson last year.

 

[Baymule]

It is all a matter of finding what works for you and your flock, where you live, what weather you have and when it all comes to together. Sounds like you nailed it!

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

We had a little higher temp this morning,-6! I’ve been too spoiled this winter. as I was hauling buckets of water I realized how great it’s been being able to use a hose everyday and remembering one more thing on my list of wants, a new waterline that goes right to the corrals. With a heated trough!